Sahara Reporters Latest News Saturday 6th July 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Saturday 6th July 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 06/07/19

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Leadership Newspapers News Today Saturday 6th July 2019

E2%80%99s-son-threatens-buhari-over-appointments target=_blank>El-Rufai’s Son Threatens Buhari Over Appointments

Bello ElRufai

Bello ElRufai

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Bello, a son of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed concerns over recent appointment made by President Muhammadu Buhari, threatening to protest the re-appointment of some ministers and aides who served in his first term.
The Kaduna State governor’s son said if Buhari re-appoints same set of ministers, he would lose the trust of Nigerians.
“We trust you, Mr. President. It has nothing to do with partisanship. It has nothing to do with your cult following that only fools deny. But recent appointments aside, if some Ministers return, well, that trust will become very unsteady. We are not PDP, you will hear us!” Bello tweeted Friday night.We trust you Mr. President. It has not nothing do with partisanship. It has nothing to do with your cult following that only fools deny. But recent appointments aside, if some Ministers return, well, that trust will become very unsteady. We are not PDP, you will hear us!— Bello El-Rufai (@B_ELRUFAI) July 5, 2019

Against expectations, Buhari had approved the re-appointment of Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff to the President. 
A statement by Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said both appointments took effect from May 29, 2019. Meanwhile, many Nigerians, opposition parties, economists and foreign investors have expressed worries over the delay in President Buhari’s appointment of ministers.It appears with the latest statement by the Presidency, Buhari’s current priority is his domestic staff.
The President, who has been accused of nepotistic tendencies, reeled out the names of 11 people mostly from the northern part of the country. 

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target=_blank>Inside The Polytechnic Where Academic Corruption (Part I)

Aside cultism, extortion of students by the academic staffs of The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo state has been a major concern for a long time of which the story has never been told.
In this part, Uthman Samad, in details chronicles into the unwavering academic corruption in the institution revolving around the compulsory payment of dues, buying of the handout at an exorbitant price and grade racketeering amongst others.
(Introduction)
“Mind you, buying the handout for this course is a prerequisite to passing your test Your ticket to entering for the exam, pay to your group leader and he should bring the money to me It’s just 1k”
This was the end-note of Mr. Adio on an early morning class of National Diploma II of the department of mass communication in a one thousand sitter lecture theatre of Ibadan Polytechnic in Oyo state. Though noisy, like in the popular Gbagi market of the town, Mr. Adio’s message to the class after a short lecture was audible, even to the deaf.
Not a student of the institution, this reporter was able to maneuver his ways to join the group leaders to see the lecturer out of the class to buy the handout in bulk for their group members.
The lecturer who takes “photography and photojournalism” opened his Mercedez Benz 190 to distribute the published handouts to the group leaders.
This has been the norm for Mr. Adio which is understandable to the students. The group leaders paid according to the number of their groups or less, based on the number of whoever pays as the maximum number per group is 20. The least amount paid by group leaders was 10,000Naira for ten members.
This reporter tried to pay for the handout individually but was told by a student that “Mr. Adio does not collect individual payment”. He said on a low tone so for him not to be heard by the lecturer.
Here in “Poly Ibadan” as it is called by all, buying of a handout is a norm which has never been questioned by any arm of the authority nor the standing union of students.
According to one of the present students’ union executives who begged anonymity said that “there are most times issues like this will be frowned at in the students’ union meetings including levies but the fact is facing the authority is another something”.
“Even when we do, in short roundtable our own share will be decided upon and we keep off the matter.”
The Polytechnic Ibadan is one of the relics of the old Oyo state, established 48 years ago into the heart of the state with other campuses sprawling through the neighboring towns of the state to Saki and Eruwa.
In 2014, the two satellite campuses at Saki and Eruwa became autonomous as full-fledged institutions under the Abiola Ajimobi administration and renamed The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki and the Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa respectively. Since then, these institutions have been headed independently by different management.
The Polytechnic, Ibadan is divided into north and south campuses with five faculties housing 23 departments with over 19 thousand students.
Buying of handouts as the safe way to exam hall and tests
This investigation got to understand after interviews from students of the institution of their ordeal during examination and test period after they failed to buy any of their handouts or material.
Salam and Aderanti in their different account narrated how they were sent off examination hall after they failed to get a handout for one of their courses.
For Salam, an HND 1 student of Public Administration recounts his experience while sitting for one of the papers during his final National Diploma Part 2 program.
“I have been seeing students talking about this in other departments same as here but I was marveled when the lecturer was using his sold handout for the semester as the pass into the exam hall,” Salam said with a face full of disapproval.
“To my greatest surprise, I begged this man for over thirty minutes out of the two hours for the exam, do you want to hear, I had to run around to get the #1000. I didn’t even get the handout, I just paid and I was allowed to enter.
“We have always been told in classes whenever this man comes that we should submit our given assignments with the handout for grading. We that we didn’t get the handout our assignments are not always collected not to talk of grading.
“We were much that didn’t buy them. This was during my ND1 second semester. We all thought it’s a joke until we see the reality when this man asked us to queue into the exam hall with our handouts for the course in our hands. Beside him, that day was the remaining bulk of the handout copies”
“My brother, we bought it all to the extent that it got to a time the lecturer collected the money with nothing to give as handouts. But we later wrote the exam.” Aderanti recounted her experience with her pathetic voice.”
In another account of a public administration student, Kabir, narrated: “It started as a play when our research methodology lecturer came into the class and told everyone that we are not going to sit for the exam nor test except we purchase the research methodology textbook from him, of course, it is normal we buy a textbook but not directly from his hand.
“What the school rule says is that we should buy from the school bookshop. He was saying this when we have less than 3 weeks to the exam o. why not the beginning of the semester if truly he really loves us for academic purpose?
“So they want to market the book indirectly because they know that the only way to do that is to force us to buy the textbook because no one will buy it after the exam. What they later did was that they forced us to buy the textbook from them; it was even handout they called it because it was branded like a textbook because our lecturer said it frantically that without purchasing the textbook and without buying it, you are going to fail the course.”
“Everybody was scared of failure at that time, but for me, I dared him that he should go on and do his worst. Some of us didn’t buy it then. I could remember we sat for the exam at the 1000sitter capacity hall at the middle belt. When we got to the exam hall surprisingly, we were checked in and those that didn’t buy the handout were sent back.”
This similar action was also confirmed during one of the classes of the ND2 students of mass communication, Where Mr. Adeniran told the pool of students to submit the given assignment by a week after, with the inclusion of their respective handouts for grading, this assignment costs 20marks.
Mr. Bamishaye, a junior lecturer of the department of mass communication also reinforced abysmal in the system. He takes “newspaper editing and production” and “public relation media and methods.”
In a visit to his half portioned office where he sales handouts of courses to the students of the department, he was caught telling one of his students that each handout for his anchored courses attracts 20 marks.
This reporter witnessed how the ‘awoof’ 20 marks are awarded as assignment question will be written on the first page of the handout of “public relation media and methods” by the lecturer, which means student that failed to buy the handout will not be able to get the assignment question nor have the submission ‘grace’. This is also a beckon on an awful result as the 20 marks will be denied.
Buying handouts is the norm. on independent research conducted across five departments of the institution, gotten interviews from national diploma students alone, the research has shown that in polytechnic Ibadan, on an average, a student buys handouts for all courses for N12,000 in a semester.
This independent research also shows that in PolyIbadan a handout sells on a minimum of N800 and a maximum of N1,500. As verified, these handouts are most times produced by lecturers to meet the selling market of handout trading. This has rendered some produced handouts without proper referencing, tersely worded while some lack ISBN
However, in an obtained internal memorandum dated 25th of March 2019 with reference number AAO/BOS/ITSC/vol.11/130 signed by one Mrs. Agboola, the secretary of the Textbook Standardization Committee sent to the rector through the chairman of the committee titled “Ban on sales of Handout and unauthorized Textbooks”, the institution prohibited the sale of handouts and textbooks.

It was also noted the approved textbooks by this committee should only be made available at the school bookshops and on no account should it be found anywhere else. The circular also shows that any staff that contravenes these rules and regulations will be sanctioned appropriately by the management of the institution as no student should be forced to buy any handout or textbooks.
Meet Ajao, The “Contractor”
However, on the verge of investigating how students upgrade their grades by buying the workbook, I came across Ajao.
Ajao, as popularly called by students, is a mass communication ND2 student and the present union Public Relations Officer 2 who boasts around of his connection with lecturers in the department and beyond.
I met with Ajao on a sunny morning where all and sundry were hustling for classes.
“I wouldn’t mind if you can help out with my computer course, I carried it and I hear say you dey close to the woman in charge,” I said apologetically to convince Ajao.
Upon hearing this, Ajao laughed and assured me of less worry as he advised this reporter to save his phone number for better communication.
This reporter did as instructed while Ajao did save this reporter’s number with “Shola Masscom” and he promised to help me out once if I will cooperate. I obliged with him and he vowed to help me out.
After the third day which was a Friday, Ajao was called to work out the deal. He told this reporter sternly of change in the operation of the dealing as the woman, Mrs. Ganiyu is now attending to students herself and not the back door he had his own upgrade
“Go and meet the woman, she is a close paddy, she said everyone should be coming to her”
“You will just buy the handbook we bought last semester again and you get your pass straight” – abi wetin you want again?” Ajao said.
At the end of the discussion, Ajao promised to always help me in any stumbling course in as much as I always cooperate.
How students pay for grade

It was a long queue under the scorching sun of a Wednesday afternoon where this reporter pretended and joined the pull of students with ‘issues’ in “Introduction to Computing”- a general course from department of computer science.
The issues range from missing exam score or omission of one of the duo conducted test scores for the semester. This process was understood to be coming after the release of the course result.
“I have been here since 10 a.m., I don’t know we are this much that had issues with this course”, a female student who was later referred to as Muibat by a colleague commented.
A male student later told Muibat that the procedure of how issues are resolved inside Mrs. Ganiyu’s office is simple. “You tell her your problem, you pay for the workbook and she pens down your name”.
Muibat was happy about the simple process of getting the grade until she heard the present amount paid for the workbook is twice the earlier amount paid for the same workbook.
“I only have #200 with me now! I have been warned not to call home for this week again, I don’t know what to do right now” Muibat lamented with sprinkled tears dropping from her eyes.
“By 2 pm, I will not allow anyone to enter this office again, that means we meet tomorrow. Now you will have to take numbers. Only 15 persons will be allowed, the remaining will come tomorrow” these were the words of Mrs. Ganiyu, the lecturer in charge of the general course.
Without any means of identification, this reporter was counted as the number 7th person on the queue despite.
When called in, Mrs. Ganiyu asked if truly I am the real 7th and should call along with the 8th person who is a female with an outlook of a Muslim who was later identified not to have found her test score in the pasted result sheet.
“Check your name in the list,” Mrs. Ganiyu said kingly. “Don’t forget to pay your #500 to her (pointing to a fat woman in army green round neck around the corner of the office playing “bubbles” on her Hot6 phone).
The woman collected the wrinkled #500 note from the female student and assembled it into the bail in her drawer.
“I didn’t take the first test and I didn’t buy the handbook” this was this reporter’s answer while Mrs. Ganiyu asked “what’s your problem”
Without wasting time looking for an antidote to solve my problem, she asked me to look for the name as it won’t be on the list.
After two minutes checking for nothing (this reporter’s name) in the list, I told Mrs. Ganiyu that I can’t find my name.
Without much ado, just as was done for students before me, she asked me to pen my name with matriculation number of is optional and paid to the fat lady. I penned down name my name with a wrong matriculation number
The same fat lady who was then lost in the midst of “Bubbles- an android game” collected the #500 note and gave me a workbook.
It was understood that the 10-page practical handbook was sold N350 less than the amount it was sold for students that failed the course during the time the course was offered.
No Receipt, No File Submission

This is a popular phrase by the students of polyIbadan. Checks by this newspaper projected that some dues are made compulsory for whichever students of the institution that would be submitting their respective student file to the faculty, a tradition understood by this reporter to be recurrent every semester.
Investigation and observations also inform that the management has never pronounced the payment of these dues compulsory but students’ files will not be collected for submission except it is full with all the receipts of the dues, a practical session of which was witnessed by this reporter.
Going in-line with Nigeria’s 1999 amended constitution provision of section 40 which explains that membership of association and groups should be voluntarily and not by force as in accordance with the fundamental human right.
The mandatory payment of fees and compulsory inclusion of association due proof of payment is a breach of the constitutional provision.
According to a source in the institution’s Senate building, it was said that there is always kick-backs from associations to the school management.
“Don’t sweat on that. Even when I was here years ago, as a student, the system was like that. From a long time, there is this returns associations pay on all accrued money to the management pulse that’s why they continue to make It compulsory for students who want to submit his/her file” the source said.
In one of the file submission hours at the department of mass communication, this reporter was able to witness how the officer in charge of receiving files from students made a resounding emphasis on the need for students to include all the listed receipts of dues in their file.
Porous database
Aside from daylight academic robbery by the academic staffs of the institution, this investigation can also affirmatively confirm the porosity of payers’ database in the institution.
Tuition fee here in Poly Ibadan is paid through the electronic portal while other dues are paid by cash. These dues range from students’ Union due, state of origin association due, the town of origin association due, religious organization association due, departmental association due, students’ departmental association due, students’ faculty association due, faculty association, amongst others.
In the course of conducting this investigation, some of the dues were paid for without questioning by the receiver on the recipient of the proof of payment from the bank.
For instance, this reporter paid for the Association of Students Communicators, Department of Mass Communication (ASCOM)departmental due, Association Of Students Communicators, Department of Mass Communication (ASCOM) Students’ Association due, Faculty of Financial Management Studies Students’ Association(FFIMSSA) due, Federation of Oyo states Students’ Union (FOSSU) due and Federation of Ibadan Students’ union.
These dues were paid by this reporter without documentation of matriculation number except the payee name and without database to validate the name of the payer.
Management’s Denial
In an interview with the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Soladoye, he denied the involvement of the management’s assent on the selling of handout by the academic staff of the institution and distanced the management also from the compulsory payment of due.
“It is illegal for anyone to sell handout in The Polytechnic, Ibadan. And we have consistently maintained and told them that if any lecturer sells or anybody attempts to sell, they should make a formal report. Even a circular was circulated to that effect. And this was exposed to them during their matriculation orientation that it is illegal for anybody to sell handout to them or intimidate them.
“I featured recently on inspiration FM and I told the whole world on the issue of the handout in The Polytechnic, Ibadan. If they are doing that (students buying handout), that is stupidity, because the management had told them and insisted that they are not supposed to buy any handout from anybody.”
“That is unfortunate”.
“I will be grateful if you can provide me with their information, they (lecturer) will be sent out of the system, this is very absurd. I can tell you we don’t know this.”
When told about Mr. Bamishaye who uses the leverage of students that come to buy handout in his office to give an assignment, Mr. Soladoye said: “This is very unfortunate; you have given me a name now, when I get to the office, I will investigate.
So, the school knows nothing about the selling of handout? This reporter pressed further
“I just told you now that it is illegal. You know they are not selling it for the management, they will not be selling it to the fellow lecturers nor the administrative officers, they are selling it to students and students have been told a thousand times don’t buy handout from anybody.
“If any lecturer has any academic material, the lecturer should submit such to the committee that they ensure that they publish it as a book and any student that find it interesting will buy it and if not, it is not compulsory. Don’t forget at one time or the other, we have once been students”
Management promises to Investigate
However, while being quizzed about the management’s effort to halt the corrupt practices, the school PRO vowed that the management of Poly Ibadan will investigate the tendered claims as posited by this investigation.
“You are just giving me the information if I am able to investigate the school will take action. Let me explain something to you here in The Polytechnic, Ibadan, the students when they commit offense here, we have student disciplinary committee for it, also if a staff commits an offense, we have a disciplinary committee for senior staff and another one for junior staff. So nobody is above the law.”
No interest in due payment
“The institution has nothing to do with all these receipts like indigenous association receipt in student files. Nobody can force anybody to join any indigenous association”
“Apart from students’ union receipt, there’s no other receipt tenable in the file, all these likes of religious body receipts and the likes are not made compulsory.”
They are not supposed to; all those ones have nothing to do with the institution. They are voluntary bodies. Either you pay the due or not, it is of no concern of the management.”
We Are Not Selling Handout- ASUP Covers Up for Lecturers

A former executive member of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, The Polytechnic, Ibadan branch who served during the last administration before being suspended by the management of the institution due to internal disruptions and crises, said: “We are not selling handout. The Polytechnic, Ibadan is an institution of reputation and a first-class institution. The selling of handout has been abolished a long time ago.”
“I was a product of this institution, I was once a student here, even when I was a student, two or three decades ago no one sold handout.”
When he was shown proofs of lecturers selling handouts in the institutions, he responded:
“That’s very absurd! I don’t know about that. If there are some isolated cases, I am happy as an investigative journalist, you were able to say that my department of science laboratory and technology, there are minimal or fewer cases of that here. Now if you see any isolated cases, you see in an environment, there’s no way, even out of 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, there’s one Judas.
“So if you have discovered anything or you have discovered any negative action, then notify the appropriate authority. I am telling you that there could be some black sheep among us but it is not every lecturer that sells handout. Our lecturers here are men of integrity. Majority of them that I know will not engage in such nefarious activities. I can’t claim ignorance of lecturers here selling handouts.”
Students Union sitting on the fence?
The students’ union president, Akadiri Bayonle, has maintained a cold opinion and knowledge of the academic corruptions in the institution. While on a side asserting that the lecturers sell handouts in the institution, he also denied being aware of it thereby contrasting his assertions.
He said: “I am aware of the fact that lecturers sell handout in some departments and not in some departments. What I mean is that it is not a general practice. I am not really aware of that at the National Diploma level. But I can tell you it doesn’t exist with us at the higher national level. The students’ union is not in support of it, and no lecturer should force any student for it.”
NBTE Frowns, Vows to Investigate
The National Board for Technical Education, the institution that oversees polytechnics, monotechnics, technical schools across the country, has frowned upon the selling of handout at The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
“It (handout) has been prohibited since, honestly, and that is why Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has given them grant to buy books so as to equip their libraries, the books in the library will stand in place of handout and that is why TETFUND gave them library intervention fund, so there is no reason why they should sell handout, No reason! It is not allowed.
“I can promise you: the commission will take action. We will investigate and we will get back to you,” the official stated.
 
This report was done with support from Ford Foundation and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR

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*-toy-shop-soc-okenwa target=_blank>A Senator At A S** Toy Shop! By SOC Okenwa

Abuja is fast gaining global notoriety for immorality. The Federal Capital Territory is often in the news lately for bad reasons, for scandals. When we were not being regaled with breaking news of some randy cops breaking into brothels and hotels chasing after and arresting prostitutes, extorting money from some, battering some and raping others we were treated to ‘soap operas’ of high-wired corruption featuring millions and billions of fraud, fiscal scams or money laundering by politicians and government employees. If not that then it must be issues of s** abuse or rape by flamboyant pentecostal Pastors.
Before now Lagos was known globally as a mega city-state where anything goes. From drug and human trafficking to banditry to cyber scamming to extra-judicial killings to SARS atrocities the state of aquatic splendour rhymed with iniquity. Abuja seems to be struggling hard to ‘steal’ the ‘trophy of shame’ from the so-called Centre of Excellence. Yet Abuja can never be Lagos in many ways but in terms of criminality, the FCT could rival Lagos. While Lagos is greater than Abuja in terms of economic power, infrastructural ingenuity and human resources there is no living Lion of Bourdillon in Abuja playing the invincible role of godfather anywhere like Bola Tinubu does in Lagos.
Recently a married lady, Busola Dakolo, a popular photographer and wife of musician Timi Dakolo had sensationally alleged that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder of the Commonwealth of Zion Church (COZA) in Abuja had raped her as a virgin when she was a choir member of the church many years ago. Before going public the musician had railed against immoral men of God abusing their religious positions. Mrs. Dakolo’s story would have sounded unbelievable had it been that it was the first time the Pastor was being accused publicly of sexual assault. Or if she was still single or searching desperately for a job.
For a legally married woman to have elected to expose the abuse she suffered in the hands of a ‘spiritual father’ must pass as an act of courage indeed! Many women in their conjugal bliss would have chosen to let the sleeping dog lie. Yet that would have amounted to doing injustice to oneself and others in similar circumstances. Many ladies prefer to keep silent in the face of sexual molestation because of the societal opprobrium attached to full disclosure.
Aside Busola other ladies have been emboldened to come forward with their own rape versions involving the Pastor. If these cases were to be proven to be true then Pastor Fatoyinbo must have signed a ‘pact’ with Lucifer with rape as a sure source of staying power in a crowded church business in Nigeria.
Pastor Fatoyinbo, under intense pressure, had stepped down from the pulpit but a thorough investigation into this sordid affair has been called for vociferously from different quarters — including the streets of Lagos and Abuja. While the wife, Modele, has been acting like a Nollywood actress in defense of a randy husband playing the role of a responsible good housewife we find it nauseating that this woman-Pastor would insult our collective sensibilities by her irresponsible public utterances, some straight from the pulpit her embattled husband has abandoned. She was busy cursing the hell out of the “strange sons and daughters” of the ministry asking God to “close the heavens over them in the name of Jesus”.
Something is definitely wrong with this woman’s poor appreciation of the power of evil overcoming even those that claim pastoral piety. Her husband knows the truth and it is only confessing that truth that could set him free. Empty grandstanding or allusion to mundane things like blackmail or whatever would not do the magic of redemption.*
Recently also in a relative ‘sexy’ development in Abuja a video depicting a Senator of the federal republic manhandling a nursing mother inside a s** toy shop went viral online. In the video the 41-year old Senator Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, was seen engaged in an altercation with the shop-owner following the despicable action of one of the girls he brought in for shopping. Reportedly one of the girls had started throwing up vomitting multiple times inside the shop. When the shop owner complained the young Senator accused her of poisoning the store’s air conditioner!
From there one thing or word led to another and before anyone could shout ‘Holy Jesus’ our Senator descended on the lady who intervened by asking the Abbo gang to ‘take it easy’. Blows and slaps were delivered to the customer for her intervention. And that was not enough; he had her arrested for ‘insulting’ him! He was furious because he claimed that the lady store attendant had labelled him a ‘drunk’!
Of course, this matter was said to have happened a few months ago on May 11 well before Elisha Abbo was elected into the upper legislative Chamber. The Senator has since apologized profusely for his misbehaviour saying that he had learnt his lessons. While we concede that his public apology may be a sincere demonstration of contrition it is not enough. Justice must take its course. You don’t just hit the daughter and wife of another man and simply walk away saying sorry!
A Senator at a s** toy shop? Have you ever bothered asking and knowing why the so-called “Ambassador of Christ” went to the shop in the first place? Satisfying the sexual fantasies of his mistresses? Or preaching against the dangers of using cosmetic sexual implements? Who were these ladies and where were they coming from? Senator Abbo behaved like someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol so the salesgirl was right to have called him a ‘drunk’!
The problem with Pastor Fatoyinbo and Senator Abbo is much deeper than what ordinary mortals could easily comprehend. It goes to illustrate the progressive descent into infamy of glorified political and pentecostal animals inhabiting our geographical space called Nigeria. And above all, it depicted the impunity mentality pervading every aspect of our national life.
While evil triumphs over good in our beleaguered society what baffles sound minds remains our penchant for godliness. We pretend to ‘love’ and worship God or Allah more than the late Pope John Paul 2, Prophet Mohammed and Jesus Christ! Hypocrisy must have its limits in our miserable lives. It must never prevail!
As for Madam Fatoyinbo let us assure her that nobody wanted to take her husband’s place in their church. But we fear that in the end when the truth would have been made to triumph over falsehood she may come to tears on learning that her husband had been a sexual predator all along while masquerading as an anointed preacher of the Gospel. We have seen it happen before both in Nigeria and elsewhere where evangelism by fire is more pronounced.
Our concern, in the final analysis, is that the values hitherto held dear in our embattled nation are under sustained assault by glorified criminals in positions of power and privilege. Now, it is left to men and women of goodwill and good conscience to light up the tenebrous tunnel inside which we navigate blindly for us to find the way.
 
SOC Okenwa soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr  

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target=_blank>President Buhari Appoints Personal Staff Instead Of Ministers As Bayo Omoboriowo Retains Position

Bayo Omoboriowo, a photographer, has been retained in President Muhammadu Buhari’s new appointment of personal staff to aid him in carrying out domestic and official duties in his second term.
But what Nigerians are expecting is the announcement of the former military dictator’s ministerial list. 
The list was released in a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. 
Meanwhile, many Nigerians, opposition parties, economists and foreign investors have expressed worries over the delay in President Buhari’s appointment of ministers.
It appears with the latest statement by the Presidency, Buhari’s current priority is his domestic staff.
The President, who has been accused of nepotistic tendencies, reeled out the names of 11 people mostly from the northern part of the country. 
See FULL LIST below.
1.    Mohammed Sarki Abba – Senior Special Assistant to the President (Household and Social Events)
2.    Ya’u Shehu Darazo – Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties)
3.    Dr Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi – Personal Physician to the President
4.    Amb. Lawal A. Kazaure – State Chief of Protocol
5.    Sabiu Yusuf – Special Assistant (Office of the President)
6.    Saley Yuguda – Special Assistant (House Keeping)
7.    Ahmed Muhammed Mayo – Special Assistant (Finance & Administration)
8.    Mohammed Hamisu Sani – Special Assistant (Special Duties)
9.    Friday Bethel – Personal Assistant (General Duties)
10.  Sunday Aghaeze – Personal Assistant (State Photographer)
11.  Bayo Omoboriowo – Personal Assistant (Presidential Photographer)
The above appointments take effect from May 29, 2019.

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target=_blank>President Buhari Makes Appointments Of Personal Staff

 
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the following appointments of personal staff.
1.    Mohammed Sarki Abba – Senior Special Assistant to the President (Household and Social Events)
2.    Ya’u Shehu Darazo – Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties)
3.    Dr Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi – Personal Physician to the President
4.    Amb. Lawal A. Kazaure – State Chief of Protocol
5.    Sabiu Yusuf – Special Assistant (Office of the President)
6.    Saley Yuguda – Special Assistant (House Keeping)
7.    Ahmed Muhammed Mayo – Special Assistant (Finance & Administration)
8.    Mohammed Hamisu Sani – Special Assistant (Special Duties)
9.    Friday Bethel – Personal Assistant (General Duties)
10.                       Sunday Aghaeze – Personal Assistant (State Photographer)
11.                       Bayo Omoboriowo – Personal Assistant (Presidential Photographer)
The above appointments take effect from May 29, 2019.
 
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 5, 2019

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E2%80%98king-coal%E2%80%99-among-7-killed-bahamas-helicopter-crash target=_blank>Billionaire Chris Cline, The ‘King Of Coal,’ Among 7 Killed In Bahamas Helicopter Crash

American billionaire, Chris Cline, whose mines were among the most productive in the United States, was among those that died in July 4 helicopter crash that killed seven people travelling from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale, Washington Post reports.
Cline, who hails from West Virginia, died in a helicopter crash that killed everyone aboard in the Bahamas on Thursday. He was 60.
Six other people also died in the helicopter that crashed off Grand Cay island on its way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Bahamian police said.
Cline would have turned 61 on Friday.
Bahamian police said four women and three men on board died in the crash, but they did not name the victims — and civil aviation authorities said their identities were unknown. All seven passengers were Americans, the Associated Press reported.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) told the Register-Herald newspaper that Cline was among the dead and went on Twitter to call Cline “a W.Va. superstar” and “a very close friend.”
“Chris Cline built an empire and on every occasion was always there to give,” Justice wrote. “What a wonderful, loving, and giving  man.”
Brian Glasser, an attorney for Cline, confirmed to Bloomberg that his client was killed in the helicopter crash.
“He was a young man,” Glasser said. “He was audacious. He was a great man, and he will be missed.”
Glasser wrote on Twitter that Cline was the most courageous person he had represented.
“A billionaire, he never lost touch with the days he lived in a double wide and used a blow dryer to thaw his winter pipes,” Glasser said.
The helicopter took off from Big Grand Cay around 2 a.m. on Thursday and was reported missing in the afternoon when it did not arrive in Fort Lauderdale, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.
Authorities said police and local residents found the helicopter overturned in 16 feet of water about two miles off the island.
Police did not identify a cause of the crash but said officials, including the Department of Civil Aviation and the Defense Force, were investigating.
Evan Jenkins, a justice of West Virginia’s Supreme Court, said in a statement that Cline, his daughter, friends, and the pilot had died in the wreck. Cline had loved West Virginia, Jenkins wrote.
“His selfless and generous support for programs and projects throughout the state improved the lives of countless West Virginians,” Jenkins said. “His life’s story was one of hard work, love of family and caring support for others.”
At the age of 22, Cline followed his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps into the underground coal mines of southern West Virginia, according to the website of his company, Foresight Energy. He later formed his own energy development company, the Cline Group, which rose to become one of the top 20 coal producers in the United States.
Cline also founded Foresight Energy to operate mines in Illinois. The firm earned $1.097 billion in coal sales in 2018, according to its website.
That success led Cline to a life of luxury, radio network West Virginia MetroNews reported. His 150-acre property in Beckley, W.Va., included a go-kart track, a lake, and pastures for Cline’s goats, horses, and llamas, MetroNews said. Cline also owned a yacht called Mine Games, the report said, and a mansion in North Palm Beach, Fla.
In 2010, Bloomberg dubbed Cline the “New King Coal.” By 2015, Bloomberg had made a slight change to the nickname, calling him, simply, “the King of Coal” in an article about a $1 million contribution Cline had made to a super-PAC supporting Republican Jeb Bush’s presidential candidacy.
Cline, a major Republican donor, later gave $1 million to President Trump’s inaugural committee, according to OpenSecrets.org from the Center for Responsive Politics. He also donated to the failed presidential campaign of Sen. Marco Rubio, according to the New York Times.
Cline’s family foundation has donated millions of dollars to Marshall University, including a $5 million gift for sports medicine research. The athletic complex on campus is named in Cline’s honour. Cline attended Marshall but dropped out to get into the coal business with his father, according to the Herald-Dispatch, a newspaper in Huntington.

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E2%80%99s-failure-appoint-ministers-hampers-stock-market-foils-economic-growth target=_blank>How Buhari’s Failure To Appoint Ministers Hampers Stock Market, Foils Economic Growth

The failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a cabinet four months after winning a second term has stymied the country’s stock market, prompted foreign investors to trim holdings and threatened growth prospects for Africa’s largest economy, Reuters reports.
Inaugurated on May 29, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s 76-year-old former military leader faces a long list of challenges including tepid economic growth, high unemployment, and a decades-old Islamist insurgency.
Government activities, which almost ground to a halt ahead of February’s election, slowed further after his victory, leaving foreign investors trying to gauge how much of a hit the stock market will take from the hiatus.
“It is massive,” said Andrew Brudenell, lead senior portfolio manager for frontier markets equities at Ashmore Group. “Even when oil prices were back up at $70 heading to $80 again, the stock market did not do anything. They (stocks) just continue to trickle down as people give up on their investments.”
The stock market in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, has failed to keep up with frontier markets peers, a subset of smaller and often riskier emerging economies. The MSCI Nigeria index has dropped more than 15% since the start of the year, making it one of the worst performing markets in the index, even as the wider MSCI Frontier Market index rallied nearly 10%.
Nigerian politics often move at a glacial pace. Buhari took six months to swear in a cabinet after the 2015 election – a delay critics contend contributed to the slow response to low oil prices that pushed Nigeria into a recession in 2016.
But some investors said they had hoped that as the incumbent, he would move more quickly. Senegal’s Macky Sall and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa both appointed ministers within days of being sworn in as president this year.
Since the dissolution of Buhari’s first cabinet in late May, senior civil servants, who oversee day-to-day operations but lack authority to approve major decisions, have run Nigeria’s government departments.
Civil servants do not approve the capital expenditure, which means contractors are not getting paid.
“The process of payments is challenging and extremely time-consuming,” said one large government contractor, who asked not to be named.
Civil servants also do not take leading roles in deal-making in the all-important oil sector, a fact that has slowed negotiations with Saudi Arabia, a source close to the talks told Reuters.
Saudi Arabia is considering investing millions of dollars into revamping the state oil company’s ailing refineries – a years-long target for the petrol-importing country. It is also mulling construction of an entirely new refinery and investing in liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The political void has affected investors of all types.
“You want to see that: a) people are in control and b) work on behalf of all stakeholders – including foreign shareholders,” said Julian Mayo of Fiera Capital. “I don’t think really any of that applies in Nigeria at the moment.”
Buhari has offered no public explanation for the delay.
Some insiders say it stems from a desire to avoid delegating to ministers.
Members of his first-term cabinet complained they lacked access to Buhari and did not know what was expected of them, said Clement Nwankwo, director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, an Abuja-based think-tank.
“Whether his approach is related to his military background, I don’t know. It just seems to be who he is,” Nwankwo said.
Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, declined to comment on this but rejected suggestions that delays over cabinet appointments had adversely affected government operations.
 
    “Normal running of government is going on because the permanent secretaries (senior civil servants) are running the ministries until the ministers are appointed,” he said.
Shehu said Buhari would likely submit cabinet nominees to the upper house of parliament in July. Picks must be vetted by security services and then approved by parliament. But the legislature is expected to go on leave in July and not return until September.
Some observers question how much difference new ministers will make in an administration in which power is concentrated in the hands of the president and a close circle of confidants, including chief of staff Abba Kyari.
    “I don’t see any reason why that would necessarily change,” said a Western diplomat, who did not want to be named.
Buhari has made other key appointments: He confirmed central bank governor Godwin Emefiele for a second term and appointed a new head of the state oil company.
    Bucking a trend of one-term governors, Emefiele said he will keep the controversially managed float of the naira, which investors and the International Monetary Fund have asked Abuja to scrap.
That policy prompted many overseas investors to quit Nigeria in Buhari’s first term.
    “Across the board, everyone is saying they don’t see any prospect for real policy change,” said a U.S.-based fund manager, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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target=_blank>Harry And Meghan To Christen Baby Archie On Saturday

Duchess of Sussex Meghan and  Prince Harry will christen their baby boy at Windsor Castle on Saturday.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: ”Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor will be christened in a small private ceremony by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday 6 July.
”The Duke and Duchess of Sussex look forward to sharing some images taken on the day by photographer Chris Allerton. The godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private.”
Meanwhile, Serena Williams has confirmed that she will not attend the christening of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby on Saturday. 
The tennis champion would not be at the christening because of other commitments. 
Thirty-seven-year-old Williams, who is set to compete in Wimbledon’s mixed doubles alongside Andy Murray also said she would not be baby Archie’s godparent. 
She made this known in a press conference after winning her second-round match on Thursday. 
Asked whether she would be attending the private royal celebration, she said: “No, I’m working on Saturday. So, she understands work.”

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target=_blank>217 Passengers Evacuated As Battery Charger Explodes, Forcing Virgin Atlantic Plane To Make Emergency Landing

A Virgin Atlantic flight has made an emergency landing in Boston after a fire broke out on board following a power bank explosion.
The BBC reports that the plane was travelling from New York to London on Thursday night when the fire started, forcing the crew to divert the flight.
No major injuries were reported and all 217 passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft at Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Police believe a mobile phone power bank may have caused the fire.
Bomb disposal officers inspected the aircraft after it landed and found a device between the cushions of the seat where the blaze started.
“Preliminary investigation suggests it is a battery pack consistent in appearance with an external phone charger,” a police spokesman told reporters.
That was disputed by one passenger, Maria, who told the BBC she had been speaking to her friend when his seat caught fire. She rejected reports that a phone charger had been the cause.
“It took about two minutes to put it out,” she said.

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Nigerian-Americans Rated Most Successful Group In US

Nigerian-Americans are the most successful ethnic group in the United States of America, Candace Owens, a celebrity social commentator says.
Owens is an American conservative commentator and political activist. 
She is also known for her pro-Trump activism and her criticism of Black Lives Matter and of the US’ Democratic Party.
In one of her latest tweets, Owens tweeting @realcandanceo simply declared: “Nigerian-Americans are the most successful ethnic group in the US!”
Continuing, she added: “If you want to know how it’s possible that blacks who come from under-developed Africa, keep outperforming blacks from overprivileged America— it’s because they weren’t exposed to the Democrats’ parasite of victimhood!”
Her tweet has also sparked conversations online with some Twitter users supporting her claim while others harassed her for being a President Donald Trump supporter.  
One of the commentators, @Davidkemmpp, said, “They work their asses off — just ALL the legal immigrants from third-world countries do.
“You’ll never see one of the folks from Nigerians — or an Asian — begging on a street corner or camped on the streets. They WORK hard to advance.”
Another contributor, @Brucej62 said, “You bet. I have some good friends from college who are from Nigeria. Smart as hell and hard workers.”
A Nigerian, @Ajayioluwasayo, explained why his countrymen are successful in the US.
He tweeted: “Average Nigerians have moral values and have one thing or the other to pursue to give them an edge over others.
“We don’t see victimization as a limitation to our pursuit rather as an inspiration to pursue more. #Nigerianspirit.”
Yet, another participant in the discussion, @Micheledomes disclosed, “My son-in-law is from Nigeria and he is the most goal-driven man in his age group I have ever met.
“He is a super positive influence on my daughter and I love him dearly for who he is and how he loves her.”
A Twitter user, @DrBenLuno, added, “That’s exactly my point that such positivity should hit the global rooftop. Nigerians are great people individually, our government only mess up our collective strength.”
But not everyone agreed with Owens.
A popular Twitter user, @Walegates, however, warned: “Nigerians! Please don’t jump on this nonsense talk, @RealCandaceO didn’t care when Trump called Nigeria ‘a shithole country’.”
“This talking point is used to dismiss the systemic racism that affects African Americans by playing highly educated Nigerian immigrants against AA.
“Most Nigerians that relocate to the US already have a university degree so their children are most likely going to go to college which increases their chances of success.
“Did you know that most of the parents of those Nigerian-Americans were able to go to Nigerian university thanks to free or government-subsidized education?” Gates said.
@Kolatunosun said, “Such an ignorant, divisive, drivel. Many immigrants (Nigerians included) have already overcome financial and educational hardships before entering the US, which helps.
“We are also happy for the victories that have been fought and won by Democrats & African-Americans before us. Also, Trump doesn’t even want more Nigerians in the US (“shit hole countries”, remember?).
“Our successes in the US have not protected us from the same racist and discriminatory policies targeted at other people of colour, so what’s the point of this pablum?”

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